Reading is core to everything in education and Helper Middle School is making some very good inroads into helping students achieve in that discipline so they can excel at others.

“Our school wide-goal is to have 65 percent of our students reading at grade level by the end of the year,” said Principal Robert Bradley. “In sixth grade we started the year at 32 percent and we are now at 38 percent. In seventh grade we started at 54 percent and are now at 58 percent, and in eighth grade we started at 53 percent and are now at 55 percent.”

Helper Middle School can focus on individual students because of its size. The desired gains have not been realized yet, however, as it has been in the past, educators also know that the most growth in reading levels take place after the holiday break until the spring. He described that they have seen significant growth among many students who have moved from not proficient to proficient and the teachers, staff, and administration are very proud of them.

“We have three reading intervention classes that students who need the help attend.” he stated. “We want to positively impact students so they have great success in their future. We want them reading on grade level before they leave here.”

The school has instituted a student of the week program as well and Bradley says it has become very successful.

“We put up a soft skill for students to work on each week,” he said. “Last week was gratitude and this coming week it will be kindness. Students nominate those that they see exhibiting those qualities and then as a faculty we meet and select a student of the week from each grade level from those nominations. The students who are selected get a nice gift certificate and we recognize them on our school news program and send a letter to their parents about the award.”

Bradley said there is a new group of clubs that have been formed in the school including a sewing club, a role playing club and even a sign language club.

“The nice thing this year is that there has been some additional funding to make some of these new things possible,” he explained. “A lot of that money is being taken up by after school tutoring, which has helped us make up some gaps, and a bit of it has gone to these club functions.”

The new addition to the building is moving along very well including sheet rock, mud and tape. Other parts are still in basic construction, but the roof is on the whole project now. The hopes were at one point to be able to move into it over Christmas break, but partially due to supply chain delays it appears the transfer of teachers and their materials will take place over spring break instead.

“All the exterior brick is done and the windows should be showing up this month sometime,” he stated. “We have temporary lighting in the gym (which has also been remodeled) because those have not come yet, but things are moving along nicely. We are excited to start teaching in the new building this spring.”